Longtime pharmacy sells at auction

IRS seized business over unpaid taxes

A longtime downtown pharmacy likely will remain open for several more months despite an Internal Revenue Service auction that sold the property in an effort to collect back taxes.

Goodson's Pharmacy at 159 Hwy. 53 West in Dawsonville sold Nov. 19 for "about $2,300 over the minimum bid" of $7,200, according to Paul Reed, the I.R.S. property appraisal and liquidation specialist.

"The lien was not even close to being satisfied," he said.

Reed said there is nearly $65,000 in liens against the property owned by Phillip Goodson, who started the family business more than three decades ago.

In addition to federal taxes, penalties and fees, the amount also includes delinquent county property taxes, state taxes and debt to the University System of Georgia's Board of Regents, according to Reed.

"There are other liens on file that encumber the property and [together] they total $65,000," he said.

Two people, neither of whose names was released, placed bids on the property.

Reed said Goodson has 180 days from the date of the sale to repay the successful bidder the sale price plus interest.

"After 180 days, the property will be deeded over to the successful bidder," he said. "If the property is redeemed by Goodson, the deed will remain on it and any other personal property Goodson may own."

Goodson will have full access to the property until it's deeded to another party.

Dawson County Tax Commissioner Linda Townley said she hoped the auction would enable her to collect on the nearly $8,000 in local property taxes for the last three years Goodson owes to the county.

As of Tuesday, however, she had not been contacted by the I.R.S. regarding the matter.

Goodson said last month that he hoped the issue would be resolved before the sale took place.

"We've been working to get this settled, but it seems like everything takes twice as much time with the federal government," he said at the time. "As far as I knew, this was under control."